More relevant than at first glance

Kindred spirits

There are similarities between O.J. Simpson’s life story and a Michael Douglas movie called Falling Down.

1). The setting is Los Angeles. The William Foster story begins with a traffic scene while the O.J. story “ends” with one.

2) O.J. and Will are going through midlife crisis passages. Each is nostalgic for earlier times but they have an identity crisis where they see themselves as victims despite having villainous traits.

3) O.J. and Will had went through a divorce and had difficulty dealing with it. Each had a likeable beautiful wife who rejected them but tolerated them. Each lunatic had occasionally harassed his former spouse.

4) Each had children which they loved.

5) The L.A. police were of little help to the wives when the harassment occurred.

6) Both maniacs had respectable careers. Will achieved high level education and worked in the defense industry to protect America while O.J. became a football star prior to being employed as a newscaster.

7) People who knew them intimately could see that they had personal problems.

8) Both came from families of modest means and were loved deeply by their mothers.

9) Both became interested in weapons before going crazy. Will had shooting lessons whereas O.J. bought a Stiletto knife.

10) Both drove white vehicles without luxury accessories on the day that they went crazy.

11) Fast-food restaurants are the cornerstones of their post-youth lives. O.J. invested in them whereas a pivotal scene in Falling Down takes place in one.

12) Both were suicidal but neither had it in themselves to kill themselves.

13) Both had supporters who didn’t know them individually but who, regardless, projected their own behavior on to them. Will had the surplus store guy (or more accurately the middle-class audience) while O.J. has people who feel that they are victims of racism (some African-Americans).

14) Both were involved in entertaining flights from justice. O.J. had his Speed moment in the Bronco. On the flip side, there was Will’s walk through L.A. and eventual appearance at a pier.

15) Both men were so confident that they didn’t see their downfalls coming.